Dannevirke: Vicar installed for new parish

The Bishop of Waiapu, Andrew Hedge, with Reverend Jo Crosse at her installation as the vicar of Southern Hawke's Bay, at Dannevirke's St John's Anglican Church on Saturday afternoon.

The installation of the Reverend Jo Crosse as the vicar of Southern Hawke's Bay in Dannevirke's St John the Baptist Church on Saturday was the start of a new era for the Anglican Church.

Jo will be responsible for the parishes of Dannevirke and Weber, as well as having an oversight of enabling the local shared ministry of Woodville, and her installation was an important celebration in the life of the parish and our community, the Bishop of Waiapu, Andrew Hedge said.

"This is special and joyous and something very new here," Bishop Andrew told clergy, friends, family and parishioners.

Reverend Jo Crosse shares a special moment with parishioner Carol Ellis during Saturday's installation service.

"This is the beginning in a new chapter in the life of Jo and her family and a celebration of the beginning of the new Southern Hawke's Bay parish. This will bring joy, hope and partnership between the parishes of Dannevirke, Weber and Woodville and is a new way of being for the diocese of Waiapu in this part of the Hawke's Bay."

Bishop Andrew said there had been a lot of careful thought put into this new ministry, with Jo the key. "This is a celebration with real heart and joy."

Clergy from throughout the Waiapu Diocese lead the processional into St John the Baptist Church on Saturday afternoon.

In his sermon Bishop Andrew told the congregation there would be a period of adjustment as Jo took on the new role.

"With Jo the vicar in her hometown there will be a change as you relate to her as the vicar and you need to get to know her as Jo, but also as a priest in these communities.

"I'm confident you are going to accept Jo as your vicar and work to enable her to do the ministry she has to do and as a parish you need to care for Jo too.

The new vicar of Southern Hawke's Bay, Jo Crosse, with her husband Hamish at the celebration on Saturday.

"We are not perfect people, we are who we are, but one thing that can bind us together is to acknowledge we are bound together in the love of Christ."

The new vicar of Southern Hawke's Bay accepted the symbols reflecting the different aspects of the parish and the uniqueness of the community. There was a special moment when a lichen-encrusted fence batten and a roll of fencing wire was presented, reflecting Jo's farming background.